Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.7 1.

Godattasutta

Cittavagga Godattasutta Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā godatto macchikāsaṇḍe viharati ambāṭakavane.

At one time, Venerable Godatta was staying in the Ambātaka Forest in Macchikāsaṇḍa.

Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā godatto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ godattaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then Citta the householder approached Venerable Godatta, paid respects to him, and sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho cittaṁ gahapatiṁ āyasmā godatto etadavoca: “yā cāyaṁ, gahapati, appamāṇā cetovimutti, yā ca ākiñcaññā cetovimutti, yā ca suññatā cetovimutti, yā ca animittā cetovimutti, ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti?

While sitting to one side, Venerable Godatta said to Citta the householder: Householder, the boundless liberation of mind, the liberation of mind through nothingness, the liberation of mind through emptiness, and the liberation of mind through signlessness: are these things different in meaning and different in phrasing, or are they one in meaning and different only in phrasing?

“Atthi, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca.

Venerable sir, there is a way in which these things are different in meaning and different in phrasing.

Atthi pana, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

But there is also a way in which these things are one in meaning and different only in phrasing.

“Katamo ca, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca?

What is the way, venerable sir, in which these things are different in meaning and different in phrasing?

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ.

Here, venerable sir, a disciple pervades one direction with a mind imbued with goodwill, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.

Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

Thus above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with goodwill, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will.

Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

He pervades one direction with a mind imbued with compassion...

muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

with a mind imbued with empathetic joy...

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ.

with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.

Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

Thus above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhante, appamāṇā cetovimutti.

This is called the boundless liberation of mind.

Katamā ca, bhante, ākiñcaññā cetovimutti?

What is the liberation of mind through nothingness?

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma, ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, venerable sir, a disciple, having completely transcended the realm of infinite consciousness, aware that there is nothing, enters and dwells in the realm of nothingness.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhante, ākiñcaññā cetovimutti.

This is called the liberation of mind through nothingness.

Katamā ca, bhante, suññatā cetovimutti?

What is the liberation of mind through emptiness?

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti.

Here, venerable sir, a disciple, gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, reflects thus: This is empty of self or of what belongs to self.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhante, suññatā cetovimutti.

This is called the liberation of mind through emptiness.

Katamā ca, bhante, animittā cetovimutti?

What is the liberation of mind through signlessness?

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, venerable sir, a disciple, not attending to any signs, enters and dwells in the signless concentration of mind.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhante, animittā cetovimutti.

This is called the liberation of mind through signlessness.

Ayaṁ kho, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca.

This, venerable sir, is the way in which these things are different in meaning and different in phrasing.

Katamo ca, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānaṁ?

What is the way, venerable sir, in which these things are one in meaning and different only in phrasing?

Rāgo, bhante, pamāṇakaraṇo, doso pamāṇakaraṇo, moho pamāṇakaraṇo.

Greed, venerable sir, is a maker of measurement, hatred is a maker of measurement, delusion is a maker of measurement.

Te khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

These are abandoned by a disciple whose taints are destroyed, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising.

Yāvatā kho, bhante, appamāṇā cetovimuttiyo, akuppā tāsaṁ cetovimutti aggamakkhāyati.

As far as there are boundless liberations of mind, the unshakable liberation of mind is declared the chief among them.

Sā kho pana akuppā cetovimutti suññā rāgena, suññā dosena, suññā mohena.

That unshakable liberation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

Rāgo kho, bhante, kiñcanaṁ, doso kiñcanaṁ, moho kiñcanaṁ.

Greed, venerable sir, is a something, hatred is a something, delusion is a something.

Te khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

These are abandoned by a disciple whose taints are destroyed, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising.

Yāvatā kho, bhante, ākiñcaññā cetovimuttiyo, akuppā tāsaṁ cetovimutti aggamakkhāyati.

As far as there are liberations of mind through nothingness, the unshakable liberation of mind is declared the chief among them.

Sā kho pana akuppā cetovimutti suññā rāgena, suññā dosena, suññā mohena.

That unshakable liberation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

Rāgo kho, bhante, nimittakaraṇo, doso nimittakaraṇo, moho nimittakaraṇo.

Greed, venerable sir, is a maker of signs, hatred is a maker of signs, delusion is a maker of signs.

Te khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

These are abandoned by a disciple whose taints are destroyed, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising.

Yāvatā kho, bhante, animittā cetovimuttiyo, akuppā tāsaṁ cetovimutti aggamakkhāyati.

As far as there are liberations of mind through signlessness, the unshakable liberation of mind is declared the chief among them.

Sā kho pana akuppā cetovimutti suññā rāgena, suññā dosena, suññā mohena.

That unshakable liberation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

Ayaṁ kho, bhante, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

This, venerable sir, is the way in which these things are one in meaning and different only in phrasing.

“Lābhā te, gahapati, suladdhaṁ te, gahapati. Yassa te gambhīre buddhavacane paññācakkhu kamatī”ti. Sattamaṁ.

Householder, you are fortunate, you are very fortunate, in that you have the eye of wisdom in the profound teachings of the Tathāgata.